Motor operated body exerciser



April 5, 1960 J. w. SELLNER ,9

MOTOR OPERATED BODY EXERCISER Filed Sept. 4, 195a IN VEN TOR.

J.H.5ELLNE.R,

ATTORNEY:

z,9s1,ss4 MOTOR OPERATED BODY EXERCISER John W. Sellner, Tuiunga, Calif. Application September 4, 1956, Serial No. 607,911 2 (Ilaims- (Cl. 128-25) This invention relates to exercising devices such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,724,428, heretofore issued to me on November 22, 1955 and has particular reference to means for operating and for controlling the operation of such exercising devices. The invention resides in the combinations hereinafter fully described and drawings are hereto annexed in which a preferred form of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding plan view with a portion thereof broken away for the sake of clearness; and

Fig. 3 shows the device removed from the exerciser.

The device of the invention is in the drawings shown to comprise a box-shaped casing 1 which is rigidly seated on a base plate 2, to which the resilient supporting brackets 3, 4 of the exerciser may be secured in any suitable manner, as by straps 5. Within the casing is placed an electric motor 10 which by means of suitable speed reducing gearing is connected to rotate a pulley 11. A shaft 12 is at one end thereof transversely seated for rotation in a bearing 13 of the casing wall and a post 14 rises from the bottom of the casing to support a second bearing 15 nearer the inner end of the shaft. A larger pulley 16 is mounted on the inner end of the shaft and a belt 17 interconnects the two pulleys for simultaneous rotation by the motor.

A stud 21 is mounted in one of the spokes of the pulley 16. A connecting rod 20 has one end thereof rotatably mounted on the stud 21 and the other end thereof is seated on one of the studs 23 which interconnects the two sections 24, 25 of the exerciser frame. As shown in the drawings, pulley 16 is arranged so that it is in rotational alignment parallel to one side edge of the frame. Thus, connecting rod 20 is pivotally connected to the pulley 16 at an off center point and is also pivotally connected to the frame at one of the studs 23. When so interconnected, it is seen that rotation of the motor will impart oscillations to the frame. It is important to note that the connecting rod consists of two parts, the upper member 26 being mounted for axial adjustment in the lower member and a clamping element 27 is manually operable to interlock the members. It should be clear to anyone familiar with my exerciser that the connecting rod may readily be adjusted by the user to suit any required body movement.

The strain on the motor and the pulley connection during ordinary exercising oscillations of the frame is comparatively light and easily carried by the motor. But there are times, as when the patient wishes to step away from the exerciser, when the strain becomes intense enough to stop and likely gradually to damage the motor. It is for this reason necessary to provide means for relieving such strains and such means is for the sake of illustration in the drawings shown to consist in mounting the motor for reciprocatory sliding movement on the nited States Patent" 2,931,352 Patented Apr. 5, 1960.

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bottom surface of the casing. The motor is for this purpose by bolts 30 shown rigidly mounted on a plate 31- which has freedom of advance and retracting movement on the floor of the casing.

A bracket 32 is mounted on the plate 31 and a wrench 33 may be pushed through an opening of the casing end wall to engage threads of this bracket. Rotation of the wrench will adjust the position ofthe motor to the tension on the belt 17 required to produce the frame oscillations but to permit the belt to slip when additional load is placed on the motor, as above suggested. The user or the operator of the exerciser will soon learn properly to adjust the position of the motor relative to the weight of the patient as well as to the extent of the exerciser frame movement. A plurality of anti-friction rollers 34 are shown mounted in the casing side walls to maintain the motor base plate 31 in position on the floor of the casing and to reduce friction in moving the motor to adjust the belt tension.

The device of the invention, as above described, will operate very smoothly and effectively. There are, however, times when vibrations of the exerciser frame add considerably to the benefit derived from the use of the exerciser. Electric vibrators are found on the market at the present time and such vibrator is in the drawings at 40 shown mounted on the cross brace 41 of one of the frame members 24, 25 of the exerciser. A cord 42 extends from the vibrator and is fitted with a contact element 43 seatable in a light socket of the room in which the exerciser is placed and switch 44 is placed in the cord for convenient operation by the user or the operator of the device.

A cover 45 should be placed on the casing and suitable openings 46 should be made in the surface of the cover to insure proper ventilation of the casing. Or a louver may be seated in the cover to adjust the casing ventilation.

The means provided to maintain the casing 1 in position on the base plate 2 is in the drawings shown to consist of a lug 50 rising from the U-shaped bracket 4 of the exerciser. A stud 52 projects inwardly from this lug for passage through an opening in the side Wall of the casing. A rod 54 is seated in a suitable bearing 55 of the casing side wall and one end of this rod extends through the end wall of the casing. This rod is manually moved axially to cause the opposite end thereof to enter a passage through the stud 52 and so to lock the tions. But more elaborate locking means may, of course,

be introduced. A handle 56 should be placed on the end of the rod to facilitate operation thereof. I

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple device which may be attached to various types of exercisers to induce and control movements thereof. But while I have in the'drawings illus trated a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that modifications of shapes and arrangements, within the scope of the claims hereto appended, may be embodied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An exercising device comprising a body supporting frame consisting of two sections pivotally interconnected at an intermediate point thereof, a pair of brackets, each comprising a base and a pair of resilient upwardly extending legs, the frame sections being mounted on said ing thereby capable of swingingmovement between said legs, a casing, a motor and pulley driven thereby mounted within said casing, said casing being positioned beneath said, frame With-i116 pulley inzrotational paralleLalign- 'ment' with-one side: edge of said frame, means for anchoringsaid-casing to the base ofvone of: saidbrackets which supports the frame sections, and an-elongated rigid membelppi-votallyinterconnecting an off center :pointof said pulley atone end and-pivotallyconnected-with the. frame at the point of pivotal interconnection of said frame sections, whereby rotation'of'said pulley will cause reciprocal movement of said rigid member .and resultant vertical swinging movement of the frame section,

2. exercising device according to claim vl wherein the length of said rigid member-"interconnecting the pulley and the frame is adjustable in order to permit variation} of the amplitude of the swinging movement of the frame.

sections.

1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 

